Loving You
by SoraxKairi7
Summary: Kairi wants to get over her long-time ex boyfriend, so she and Namine go to Destiny Islands for vacation. There, they meet two guys that may be more to them than they realize. SoKai. Namiku. Cover photo by me!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I know, I know... I should not be starting another story... but... I must... do this... must... lol. This idea came to me thanks to Newport Duck Tours right outside of Cincinnati, Ohio (I've been going back and forth to Cincinnati for medical reasons for a few months now).

So enjoy my slightly light-hearted SoKai fic! I'm working on longer chapters for this!

Rating will not go over T.

(Oh, and Leon isn't that important)

Please remember to leave feedback at the end.

o-o-o

**Chapter One**

O-o-o

"Namine, we're finally here!" Kairi called out excitedly as she stepped off the train. They had just arrived on Destiny Islands for the first time and they were eager to start their two and a half week vacation. Kairi had just broken up with her boyfriend of a year and a half and was just looking to have some fun.

"Kairi, don't forget your bag!" Namine was carrying both of their suitcases. Kairi came and grabbed hers.

"What should we do first?!"

"Um, hold on. I think I picked up a brochure on the train." Namine shuffled through her purse until she found it. The brochure seemed endless as she read over it, only mentioning certain things as she did so. Kairi, however was too impatient to stand around reading. She was more about exploring and enjoying her surroundings than sticking to a schedule. She headed off into the crowd, nearly losing her sister in the process. Namine struggled to keep up with her energetic (and obviously desperate for distractions) sister. She caught up to her and tugged on her arm, giving her a stern look.

"What?" Kairi eyed her.

"Let's just sit down for a moment!"

"But I've been sitting down for six hours! I need to stretch my legs!"

"Then stand, but hold on. We can't just run off and do whatever catches our whimsy. We don't know anything about this place other than the fact that it has nice beaches. What if we wander onto the wrong side of town?"

"Fine," Kairi pouted. Namine found a bench and went through the brochure once again. The station was much busier than the girls had ever anticipated; back home at Radiant Garden the subway wasn't nearly as packed. Kairi tried staying out of the way as people rushed by left and right. "We should find some hot guys." She said randomly. Namine rolled her eyes.

"Look, Kairi... just because you broke up with Leon doesn't mean you have to immediately find another guy."

"I didn't say I wanted a relationship, did I?"

"Still..." Namine came across something that sounded interesting, "hey, check this out. Sora and Riku's Duck Tours."

"Sounds corny." Kairi said without looking. "I don't like doing _tourist_ things."

"They're quite the catch," Namine shot Kairi a suggestive glance, prompting her to take the brochure. She grinned.

"Ooh, they're perfect!" Kairi exclaimed. "Let's do that! What time is it?"

"Four thirty."

"We can catch the last one, it looks like. Let's order our tickets. Call!" Kairi demanded.

_'She really is desperate...'_ Namine thought. She pitied her sister. Leon was so good to her, but then she found out that he was cheating on her. For weeks she had been crying about it—something that was very unlike Kairi. Namine decided to let Kairi have this opportunity; she really needed a vacation from everything. Kairi was naturally a huge flirt, but now it made even more sense why that never really mattered to her ex-boyfriend. She ordered the last two tickets and the girls started trying to figure out how to get there.

"Let's get a taxi!" Kairi said, waving down the first one that came by, but Namine stopped her.

"Do you know how expensive those things are?"

"Please, I'm prepared. Taxi!"

A taxi stopped for them and Kairi and Namine got inside. "Where are you pretty girls off to?" The taxi driver asked.

"The Duck Tours!" Kairi said happily.

"Ah, everyone loves those. It's actually not far from here."

"How far is it?" Namine asked. Maybe they didn't have to pay for a taxi.

"About a mile down the road."

"Great, we'll walk then! Thanks!" Namine forced Kairi out of the vehicle, much to her dismay. Thirty minutes and a heap of complaints later, they finally found the ticket booth. A perky girl with short, flipped brown hair met them at the counter.

"We ordered two tickets over the phone for the last tour." Namine told her. "Hikari is the last name."

"I have them right here." the girl gave them the tickets, as well as a duck bill that they could wear around their neck. Namine and Kairi seemed puzzled at the accessory.

"They will explain everything on the tour. Have a nice time!"

O-o-o

A long, silver-haired man sat in the driver's seat of the bus. Next to him was a spiky-haired brunette counting the people as they got on. Kairi and Namine sat up front; Kairi was closest to the window. The brunette smiled at them and then began talking with the driver.

"He is _cute_," Namine said, admiring the silver-haired man.

"I don't know, I've got my eye on the other one." Kairi looked straight at the tour guide.

"Welcome, everyone to Destiny Boat Tours! Please fill up as much as you can," said the driver, "My name is Riku and this is my partner in crime, Sora. We will be taking you all over the mainland today as well as over to one of the small islands. You will most likely get wet, as this is a bus than turns into a boat. This is the final tour of the day and it will take approximately two hours, so I hope everyone is ready for it!" he gave Sora the microphone.

"Hey, everyone!" Sora exclaimed as the tourists continued to settle. "Like he said, my name is Sora and I will be your tour guide today! I will be explaining everything I possibly can remember about this lovely island, such as top spots, a little history, strange happenings, and much more! Sometimes I also juggle-"

"What do you juggle?" a man called out from the back.

"Torches!" Sora responded. A few people laughed. "No, I'm serious." he chuckled.

"At first it scared me to death," Riku spoke, "but this guy sure knows his stuff... except I cannot get him to remember to take the trash out for the life of me!"

"Oh, hush Riku! Why should we concern ourselves with such mediocre things?" Sora joked. "Learning to juggle was way more fun!"

"Yeah but I couldn't tell you how many times he nearly burned down our apartment complex!"

Kairi caught herself staring more than she should. The tour guide was charming and entertaining. She was looking forward to the next two hours.

"Now, does everyone have their Donald quackers? We may or may not see ducks today, but I equally enjoy using them to quack at random people on the road!" Sora blew into the duck bill. A few children on the bus enjoyed it. "Any time we say _quack_, blow into your bills like this!" He did it again, this time making a louder quacking sound. "Or," Sora tried talking with the duck bill on his mouth, "you-can-just-hold it like-this." He spoke normally again, "I bet you're wondering where we get the name Donald Quackers..." he explained something else.

Namine giggled and nudged Kairi. "He's perfect for you."

"I'll say," Kairi agreed. Sora noticed them and winked, but then went back to talking.

"Now of course, it wouldn't be any fun without some safety rules! Because... let's face it, things happen." Sora yanked on a string above him a little, "Let's say we're all just cruising along over to the island and some shark decides that we smell as good as a Thanksgiving dinner and knocks our boat over. Riku, what should we do?" Sora put the microphone to him.

"First of all, I will knock that shark out. Secondly, to ensure everyone's safety, you must pull the strings above you. A piece of fabric will drop down and inflate. This will help you float in the water. Sora and I will make sure that everyone gets back to shore safely, even if it means we have to start an underwater tournament. We know these waters very well, so it's not likely to happen but just in case,"

"Riku is a much better fighter than me," Sora interrupted, "I think I would just get eaten."

"Yeah, if we have to sacrifice someone, Sora will gladly volunteer!" Riku added, laughing.

"Should they really be saying this with kids on board?" Namine whispered to Kairi, but Sora overheard her.

"We have your best interests in heart. We will take great care of you all." Sora assured everyone. "So before we take off, where is everyone from?"

"Twilight Town!"

"Radiant Garden!" Kairi said. Sora glanced in her direction and gave her a cheesy smile.

"Traverse Town."

"The World That Never Was." said a mellow voice in the back.

"Is that a place?" Sora questioned. The pink-haired man just shrugged.

"It never was, therefore it never existed."

"So are you a figment of my imagination?" Sora asked.

"Who knows?"

"Alright, I guess it's time to start the tour. Everyone ready?" Riku asked.

"Quack if you're ready to go! As loud as you can!" Sora said, energizing the crowd. Kairi and Namine put the bills to their mouths and joined in. Riku started driving down the road.

"So you know how tourist activities are always super overpriced?" Sora began. A few people on the bus responded.

"Yeah, it's outrageous! That's partly why I'm here."

"Riku, what's our tour price right now?"

"$15 for two hours. Cheapest you're going to find."

"Is that enough to cover your expenses?" someone else asked.

"Well, even if it's not... like I said, I can juggle." Sora's comment was followed by laughter.

"We are about to enter the mainland's downtown area." Riku informed them. "Sora, what's your favorite part of downtown?"

"Ah... there are so many things! But since I'm usually on a budget, I like to find those little hole in the wall places that are just as good and sometimes even better than any chains. Where are those, might you ask? These are not only opinions of mine, but the locals often go to these places to catch deals and _authentic_ Destiny Island cuisine. The Wooki Tooki Pub on the corner of 4th street is one of those awesome and unique places we have here on the islands. Tourists don't usually go there unless they've been on this boat ride."

As Sora went on about the downtown area, Kairi was fascinated by the scenery. The architecture of the buildings looked like any downtown, except it was colorful and mixed with new and old. It was like each street had it's own charm and personality and there was always something new to see. Sora pointed out so many places that Kairi had to take pictures just to remember. She wanted to make this trip one of her best.

"Hey, maybe we can get their numbers later." Kairi said to Namine as Sora went on about one of the historic sites.

"You think they'd give it to us?" Namine asked in disbelief.

"I don't know. Let me test that theory." Kairi raised her hand politely.

"Wait, what?" Namine stiffened. After Sora was done talking, he called on her.

"Yes, lovely lady in red?"

"Would you and Riku like to exchange numbers with my sister and I later? We think you two are _very_ attractive." Kairi said with confidence. Hey, it was vacation. The rest of the bus "ooed" and Sora's face went a little red.

"Well, uh..."

"That's flattering. We may have to consider that." Riku said, glancing at them from the mirror. More banter ensued.

"Um, wow. I completely forgot what I was talking about..." Sora said, a little embarrassed.

"Sora's always shy around girls." Riku teased. "Next, we are about to go across a historic bridge," he changed the subject. Satisfied with their answer, Kairi sat back and enjoyed herself. Namine was too timid to say anything and tried looking everywhere but at the tour guides. Although, now Kairi was a noticing a lot more stares in her direction from Sora.

"This is the high school that Riku and I went to. It's nothing special, really... other than the fact it is _four_ stories high." Sora said. The crowd stared in awe. "Imagine getting lost in there! But actually, each floor was separated by your class year. Freshmen on the top floor and seniors on bottom. So the closer you got to graduation, the less amount of stairs you had to take!" Sora chuckled.

"Did you just graduate or something?" Someone asked.

"Actually, I'm 25... so it's been a while."

"We're 25 too," Namine told him.

"Sweet!"

They came towards the mountains. "This kind of place can only be explained through an old folk song," Sora picked up a guitar next to him and started playing. Kairi cheered and people were sure to follow as he began to sing.

_"Through the mountains of Destiny Islands  
>Lies a beautiful spring<br>Where the animals run free just like you and me  
>on the mountains of destiny islands<br>No volcanoes eruptin' here  
>there is NO NEED to fear!<br>on the mountains of Destiny Islands!"_

Sora kept singing as they passed through the mountains. Riku sang some background vocals and everyone was having a great time so far. Kairi thought the song was pretty silly but she liked Sora's voice.

"He's so good!" Namine said excitedly. "I'm glad we chose to come on this tour."

"Me too."

Soon they reached the other side of the island. "Alright everyone, we are about to go into the water very soon. Those sitting closest to the window will obviously get wet." Riku said, preparing the vehicle as he inched closer to the shore. Excitement filled everyone's faces as Sora told them about the pure blue waters of the sea. He was right—they were simply beautiful. Kairi braced herself as the vehicle retracted its wheels and turned into a boat. Water splashed through the open windows and onto Kairi; some hitting Namine as well.

"Whoa!" Kairi's entire right side was soaked. Once it was safe to move, Sora started handing out towels. He held one out to Kairi and Namine. "Thank you," Kairi said, taking it from him. His smile was just too cute.

"Any time." he responded and then went to give more towels. Riku began talking about the island they were approaching.

"This island is my absolute favorite of all the islands. Sora and I used to come here as kids whenever we could. Generally a secluded place with only several people at a time, we weren't allowed to come by ourselves. Sora and I spent many days and nights here with friends and the like."

"There is a secret place on this island, but I can't tell you where it is. I can only say that inside, there's a strange door that leads to who knows where!" Sora said. As he went on to explain more interesting facts about the island, Kairi lifted her phone and tried to take a few pictures of him. Even if she didn't get his number, she wanted to be able to show all of her friends the cutie on the tour bus/boat. "Also, have you guys ever heard about the legendary Paopu Fruit?" Sora asked. A few people nodded but the rest were puzzled.

"If you look to your left, you will see some star shaped fruit hanging from that tree up there." Riku announced.

"These are called Paopu. They say... if you share it with someone that you like a whole bunch then you're destined to be together forever!" Sora said.

"What? That's crazy." the pink-haired man stated.

"It's a bit of a hopeless romantic type thing," Sora admitted, "but I may want to try it someday." At that moment, Sora's eyes met Kairi's. They both blushed and many "aww's" were heard. "You can buy plushies or other kind of Paopu merchandise all over the islands. People here really embrace the _legends_. My parents claim that they once shared a Paopu fruit and well... they're still together!"

"I personally think it's really sweet." Riku added. "I mean, if I could find that _one_ person... I think I would be happy."

Kairi nudged Namine and she blushed. This indirect flirting was starting to get out of hand.

"Sounds like you two are running a dating service more than a tour!" one of the older ladies behind Kairi joked. "Maybe you can find me a man!"

"I think I know a guy," Riku said, smiling from the mirror.

"Whatever!" someone called out. "It's all a load of crap."

"Well, hey. We each have different opinions on the matter." Sora said, hoping to avoid some huge debate. "Anyway, it's just part of the culture here." Kairi stood up and searched for the person that said that. Of course, it was the pink-haired man.

"I think love should be cherished," she began, "held onto for as long as possible. Love _can_ be real, whether it's in the form of family, a good friend... or even someone special..."

"Well, it's not important to me."

"What's your name, sir?" Kairi asked as politely as she could. She couldn't stand it when people that were obviously unhappy with their lives put down others in the process. She also could not believe that she just defended love, considering she was having trouble believing in it herself after what happened.

"Marluxia, but why do you care?"

"Just adding you to the list of people to avoid." she smirked sarcastically and then sat down.

"Uh, okay, okay." Sora tried to calm everyone down. "I think we should move on to something else."

"Sora, tell them about our Blitzball team." Riku suggested. Sora happily obliged.

Riku circled the island twice before heading back to the mainland. There were only twenty minutes left in the tour. Sora had been talking the entire time and Kairi never got tired of hearing it.

"So are you going to juggle or not?" the lady behind Kairi asked Sora.

"Oh, uh... sure!" Sora said. He was running out of things to talk about anyway.

"Just don't set my hair on fire... again." Riku eyed him, but then smiled.

"Oh come on, Riku... you don't look _that_ bad with shorter hair."

Namine raised her hand sheepishly. Sora called on her. "Should we move out of the way?"

"No, everything will be great! Besides, we're over the water." Sora said. Riku pressed a button and the roof retracted. Sora got two torches ready and lit them. Everyone watched in anticipation as he held them out in each hand. First, he faked a throw, surprising everyone. He then started juggling—catching the torches in opposite hands each time. Sora started singing while he did it. Namine flinched a few times and subconsciously moved back, but Kairi was cheering him on. They finally reached the mainland. Sora threw the torches into the water.

"Woo! That was awesome!" Kairi clapped and everyone followed.

"Normally I could do four at once, but since we're in a restricted space..." Sora rubbed the back of his head and then bowed. "Thank you, thank you!"

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Kairi asked.

"He used to be part of the Destiny Circus." Riku answered. Sora merely nodded.

O-o-o

They finally arrived back at the square. Kairi and Namine waited for everyone to get off before moving. Sora and Riku were helping people down the stairs and thanking them.

"Oh god, Kairi... what are you planning?" Namine watched as her sister pulled out her wallet.

"We have to tip them, don't we?" Kairi said as she casually pulled out a pen and wrote what was presumably her number. "I don't know why, but I feel like this won't be the last time we see them. Besides, they were flirting with us the entire time." Kairi put her pen away and just stared at Namine.

"What?" Namine blinked.

"You girls getting off?" Sora called from below.

"Be down in a minute!" Kairi said, then turned to Namine. Taking her sister's hands in hers, she pleaded with her.

"Oh no... no, Kairi. We are _not_ going to ask them. No, no and no! I let you have your eye candy, now let's just go back to the hotel. You don't need to go any further with these guys... not in your troubled state!"

"Pwease?" Kairi begged, giving her the puppy eyes. Namine stood up and started walking towards the exit.

"Let's go, Kairi. They're probably busy."

"Is everything alright?" Riku asked as he extended his hand. Blushing, Namine took it and nodded as he helped her down the stairs. Kairi followed soon after.

"Man, Namine... what are we going to do now? Two hours on that tour? I'm _so hungry_," she said rather loudly. "Oh, here!" Kairi handed Sora the twenty dollar tip and covered his hand with hers. She smiled warmly at him. "Great job. I really enjoyed the tour."

"Thank you... but oh, this isn't necessary." Sora tried handing it back to her. Namine gave Riku a twenty as well. "Really, you don't have to-" Sora noticed the black markings on the bill. Kairi merely smiled and put her arm around Namine. The sisters walked towards the museum. Kairi looked back and winked at Sora.

_"Three... two..."_ Kairi counted in her head, _"...one."_

"Wait!"

o-o-o

o-o-o

**A/N:** Please leave a **review**! I can either make this a double shot or a full length multi-chapter story. It all depends on your responses. Either way, it will be a more fluffy story than my recent ones, haha, but with some serious themes. I have an idea on those themes, but I'm not sure about it yet.

Let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks everyone for the reviews! I truly appreciate it! I had a bunch of mixed responses on whether to make this a double shot or multichapter... but you all were right... it's my choice! Sigh. It will be a multi-chapter, but probably not longer than 13 chapters (that can change). This story will be about both Kairi and Namine, so I will try balancing their 'screen' time. Haha. I also changed their vacation time from one week to two and a half weeks.

I hope you continue to review!

Also, I'm terrible at picking titles. AH!

By the way, I do not recommend going off with strangers no matter how attractive they are! But if it was Sora and Riku... dang. Hard choices...

o-o-o

O-o-o

**Chapter Two**

O-o-o

_'Oh my gosh, it actually worked...'_ Kairi thought. She and Namine turned around. Sora came up to them, his eyes glued on the bill. She batted her eyes innocently and smiled. "Yes?"

"Is that... a six or an eight?"

Namine face-palmed. "Geeze, Kairi... you know your handwriting sucks."

But Kairi's confidence was beaming. She was in a place where nobody knew who she was and had a chance to make great first impressions. Although it was a little embarrassing that he couldn't read the numbers inscribed...

"It's an eight." Kairi clarified. Riku finished whatever he was doing with the vehicle and came over to them.

"Oh, okay. And this one... is a three... right?" Sora's face reddened; he avoided eye contact.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Namine said sheepishly, slightly raising her hand.

"You don't have to raise your hand anymore." Riku told her politely. Namine put her hand down and stood there awkwardly.

"...Why don't you two just take out your phones and put your numbers in that way?"

The rest of them stood there in silence for a moment, until Kairi finally broke it. "Namine, you're so smart!"

Namine cringes inside.

"Sora, we have that surprise party to go to, remember?" Riku turned to the girls, "Sorry, ladies. We don't have much time, but if you'd like, Sora would gladly give you his number."

"I... I would?" Sora was too nervous.

Riku sighed and said, "Damn it, just give the girl your phone."

"Oh, right!" Sora pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Kairi. She gave hers to him, but he just stared at it. Impatient, Riku took the phone and input Sora's number for him. They exchanged phones again.

"I really need to teach you how to talk to pretty girls." Riku said. He looked over at Namine, whom was avoiding his gaze. Pondering for a moment, he had an idea. "What are you two doing tonight?"

"Nothing. Your tour helped a lot, but we still don't know what to do next." Kairi responded.

"I see. Hmm..." Riku glanced down at Sora. He was a bit confused as to where Riku was going with this. "Would you like to come to the surprise party with us? Sora's cousin is throwing one for his girlfriend. I know we're total strangers and all... but there will be a lot of people and whatnot, if that makes you any more comfortable."

"Um... well..." Namine seemed uneasy about it, but of course Kairi was all for it. She clasped her hands together and accepted his invitation without even checking with Namine first. Namine stopped her mid-sentence. "Kairi, we don't _know_ these guys... _no offense_," she smiled nervously at Riku and Sora, "...excuse us for a moment..." she moved herself and Kairi out of earshot.

"Awww, come on, Namine!"

"No! I let you have your fun! We can't just go off with two guys just because they're... super cute..."

"Gosh, you're such a downer. They're harmless!"

"That's the kind of talk that gets you kidnapped!"

"Seriously, Nami? Do you _really_ think those guys, who own a duck boat business... would kidnap us? I know we're pretty and all..."

"You're so vain..." Namine deadpanned, but then snapped out of it, "Anyway... I don't feel comfortable going off with some strangers! I get that you're upset and just want to have a good time without thinking about it, but we really-" Namine stopped ranting and blinked a few times; she realized that Kairi wasn't standing next to her anymore. She had her arms locked with Sora's and they were skipping merrily down the sidewalk. Riku waited for her and shrugged. "Damn it, Kairi..." Namine said to herself. She went over to Riku.

"I can understand if you don't trust us." Riku told her as they began heading over to his car. Sora and Kairi had already made it across the street, but they had to wait to cross. "Don't worry, I've got the keys so they aren't going anywhere."

"I'm sorry... it's really nothing against you..." Namine said. "Kairi is just... sometimes she doesn't really _think_ ahead."

"Sora gets like that. I would be a little worried if those two... hah!" Riku chuckled. "But they're so obvious." The light changed and Riku and Namine walked across the street.

"They really are... my name is Namine, by the way."

"It's a pleasure to meet you and your sister." Riku grinned. Although Namine felt a little weird about the whole thing, Riku and Sora really didn't seem that bad. Kairi was so determined to have a good time... maybe she could let loose just this once. She did want to get to know Riku better... but at the same time, she was anxious. She didn't know where they were going, how far that would be from the hotel (which, by the way they had not checked in yet), how they were going to get back to the hotel, what she was going to eat for dinner...

"Hurry up!" Kairi called from Riku's silver Hyundai. Sora seemed a little more comfortable with her now.

"Kairi, we really should check into the hotel..." Namine said, trying to come up with any excuse she could.

"We can do that later."

Riku unlocked the car and Kairi and Sora got into the back. "Kairi, come out... now!" Namine demanded.

"Want me to kick her out?" Riku asked so nicely that it didn't even seem like they just met.

_'Oh... who am I kidding... just this once...'_ Namine smiled and shook her head. "Do you mind if we...?" She held onto her suitcase tighter than she should have.

"I invited you, didn't I?" Riku opened his trunk, making Namine even more anxious. "You can put your suitcase in here."

"Oh, thank you!" Kairi appeared in a flash. She lifted hers and set it down. She smiled and joined Sora in the back seat again.

"Want me to get that for you?" Riku asked. Namine stepped back and let him take her suitcase, as well as any dignity she had left. After putting it in and shutting the trunk, Riku went around and opened the door for her. "Only if you feel comfortable." Namine got into the passenger's seat and immediately put on her seat belt out of habit. Kairi and Sora were talking about something behind her. Riku got into the driver's seat and checked his mirrors before fastening his seat belt as well. "Hey, buckle up kids!" Riku joked halfheartedly. "Safety first." He said to Namine, completely aware of the irony.

_'Oh gosh... we're in the car. This is bad, this is so, so bad... wait, why am I slightly excited? No, you don't go off with strangers! But yet... we're with strangers... hey, I just met you... and this is crazy... no! Namine, snap out of it! Tell him to stop the car! Why is he so calm? Why am I here? Ugh... why does he have to be so attractive?!'_

Kairi noticed her obvious discomfort. "Namine's having a panic attack. If you don't mind, can we stop by the hotel after all?" Kairi asked Riku. "We just have to check in and drop our stuff off. I think that will make Namine feel better." Kairi patted her sister's shoulder.

"You don't have to do that..." Namine said, trying to uphold her modesty.

"Where are you staying?" Riku asked.

"Hmm... Destiny Hotel... I think." Kairi answered.

"Whoa, you're staying _there_?!" Sora asked in astonishment. Kairi shrugged.

"I think so?"

"NO," Namine interrupted, "It's Destiny _Travel _Hotel. _Big difference_."

"That one's... not bad..." Riku said, making them a little nervous. "Yeah, we can stop by. The party isn't until nine thirty anyway. We were just going to help set up and whatnot."

"Riku, I'm starving! Can't we find a place to eat?" Sora begged. "I'm pretty sure Roxas has plenty of help!"

"Yeah, I'm hungry too! Really!" Kairi added.

Namine set her hand on her stomach. She had not eaten since the snack she had on the train ride. Riku noticed and said, "Alright, alright. But first, the hotel."

_'Oh gosh... they're going to the hotel with us! Does this make us bad people? Wait... it's not like they're going to the room... they're just stopping by for us... ugh, Namine! Stop being so nervous! You'll get wrinkles!'_

"So I know you probably covered this on the tour, but where is a _really_ good place to eat?" Kairi asked Sora. He thought for a moment.

"Oh! Since you two have never been here before... hey, Riku! We should take them to _that place_."

Riku seemed to understand what he meant, but Namine and Kairi were puzzled. This just added to Namine's anxiety.

"That sounds like a good idea." Riku said. "You up for even more surprises?" he asked Namine.

"Sur-surprises? I'm not good with surprises... maybe other than the surprise party that we're apparently going to. By the way, where exactly is that?"

"Namine, chill out." Kairi told her.

Riku pulled into the hotel parking lot. He parked in front of the door and got out of the car.

"Do you want some help?" Sora asked Kairi sweetly, but before she could respond, Namine immediately refused.

"We have it. We won't be long."

After checking in, Kairi and Namine headed for the elevators. The place was a bit on the cheaper side, but Namine figured she could just disinfect everything and replace the sheets with her own, which she so conveniently packed. (She would have done that anyway no matter where they stayed). She and Kairi waited for the elevator.

"Namine."

"What?"

"Do you really not want to go with them?"

"Um... well..." the elevator opened and they stepped inside.

"We don't have to if you're really that uncomfortable... and I won't go off with them by myself."

"Hah! You were clinging to Sora earlier!"

"Do you want to go or not?" Kairi asked as they reached their floor.

"I want to... but you know how I am." Namine admitted. "We are twins, after all."

"I don't know how you became such a worry wart. I pride myself in having an excellent judgment of character."

Namine wanted to break apart her sister's words, considering her history, but she decided not to. They reached their room and set their stuff inside. Kairi went to the bathroom and started checking her makeup.

"Kairi, they're waiting for us. Don't forget."

"They're wrapped around our fingers. They'll wait. Besides, I got all wet on the tour, remember? I need to freshen up." she said from the bathroom. However, Namine didn't want to be rude. They were nice enough to bring them here and they were even going to get them food after.

"I'm hungry, hurry up." Namine said after five minutes.

"I'm almost done!" Kairi's phone buzzed. "Oh, Sora's texting me! We... will... be... right..." Kairi said her words aloud as she typed them. After finishing in the bathroom, she went over to her suitcase and pulled out a short, tight fitting red dress. She changed into it.

"Where did you get that?!" Namine was appalled by her excessive cleavage and the shortness of the dress.

"Club A." Kairi responded, throwing a blue one of the same style at her.

"I am _not_ wearing this."

"Come on! Put it on!" After Namine did nothing, Kairi rolled her eyes and pulled out a camisole. "Wear this underneath, then."

"It's still too short!"

"Tights." Kairi pulled those out as well. Namine didn't think those made much of a difference. In fact, she felt like it would have made her look more like a hooker. "Come on, they're waiting."

"Really?" Namine went over to her suitcase. "I have a dress of my own." She got out a frilly, knee-length purple dress and put it on quickly. She slipped on a pair of white heels, matching her sister's and then went to the door. "Tell them we're coming." Namine said as she checked herself in the mirror. Mentally noting that she had everything she needed, including two bottles of pepper spray and enough hand sanitizer, Namine was ready. They hurried downstairs. Riku was leaning against his car. He lightened up when he saw them.

"No wonder it took so long. Well, I'm not complaining." Riku said, opening the door for Kairi first. Kairi was met with the same amount of awe from Sora. Riku opened the door for Namine and said, "after you."

"Whoa, Kairi! You look pretty!" Sora exclaimed.

"Thank you, darling."

Riku got into the car. "Everyone ready to go? We were lucky to get a reservation to the restaurant."

"YEAH!" Kairi yelled, throwing everyone off, but then Sora joined in.

"LET'S EAT!"

o-o-o

Riku parked in front of a very small, dome-shaped building on the edge of a dock. "Hope you girls like seafood."

"We love it!" Namine and Kairi said in unison. Sora and Riku got out, each opening the door for them. Kairi and Sora joined arms once again and started walking towards the entrance.

"Under The Sea restaurant?" Namine questioned the title. "You mean... literally?"

The twins were amazed the second they walked in the door. Tanks filled with different colored fish surrounded them. Sora walked up to the counter. "Reservation for four... under the name Harada." Kairi nearly jumped with excitement. They had no idea what exactly to expect, but to Namine it seemed like it would be very expensive. A waitress grabbed four menus and took them over to the elevators on the left.

"Have you all been here before?" she asked.

"No, m'am." Namine said.

"We have." Riku pointed to himself and Sora. The elevator opened. It looked like it could fit fifteen people. Kairi and Namine leaned against the walls as the elevator went two floors down. Once the doors opened, they were speechless.

The restaurant was indeed under the sea!

"Wow!" Kairi exclaimed. Tons of fish and even sharks swam in the glass dome above them. There was a cylindrical glass structure in the middle of the floor where more fish dove into from the ocean. There were candles lit at each table and dim light ahead of them, but just enough for an intimate experience. The waitress found them a booth and they sat down. Sora and Kairi sat on one side with Riku and Namine on the other. After ordering their drinks, Kairi and Namine eagerly looked through the menu, but often caught themselves taking in their ocean surroundings.

"This place is absolutely beautiful!" Namine said. Her eyes bulged when she saw the prices, however. Just as she suspected, it was way out of her budget.

"Don't worry, we'll cover you." Sora ensured them.

"Thank you, cutie!" Kairi grinned widely. After about five minutes, they finally found what they wanted. Namine had to stop Kairi from ordering too much. Even though they offered to pay didn't mean she had to take advantage of it. The waitress took their orders and left.

"This is just amazing." Namine couldn't get over her awe. She never saw anything like this first hand.

"It's one of my favorite places!" Sora said. "This place is twenty feet below sea level—the first of its kind. You would think that it would be more well known, but the owners don't want it to be jaded by tourists, so we never mention it on the tour."

"Aww, you're letting us in on secrets? How nice!" Kairi leaned on his shoulder.

"Well... you know," Sora rubbed the back of his head nervously, "I can't help it. You asked for the best!"

"Nami, we should hang out with these two more often."

"Heh..." Namine stayed quiet.

"So what do you two do?" Riku started.

"I currently am in grad school." Namine said.

"Impressive. What are you studying?" Riku asked with deep interest.

"Biology. I want to be a teacher." Namine said, not sure why she was a little embarrassed by it. That was what made this experience even more magical.

"Well, it's a good thing we came here!" Sora exclaimed. For the first time, Kairi was quiet.

"That's really awesome. I went to a small community college and studied Business Relations and Economics... and now I have my own business with this doofus." Riku glanced at Sora, who pouted.

"Nice! Yeah, it seems to be doing really well." Namine complimented. Riku smiled and turned to Kairi, whom was sipping on her drink.

"What about you, Kairi?"

"I'm... a hostess at a bar." she answered, keeping her eyes fixed on the glass sea next to her. "It makes decent money."

"I bet you're great it it!" Sora added, making her feel slightly better.

"So do you work as well?" Riku asked Namine.

"Right now I just do freelance art designs for businesses. I make signs, fliers, logos... anything."

Once again, Kairi felt out shined by her sister as she continued to go on about her seemingly perfect life. She zoned out and watched the ocean while Sora and Riku questioned Namine endlessly.

"What did you think of our logo?" Sora asked. "The duck!"

"It's... a cute duck. What is it wearing, though?"

"His name is Donald Duck. He's a mage!"

"A... what?" Namine questioned.

"Sora insisted that we have a magical duck. It confuses the hell out of me, but I guess people like it." Riku shrugged.

"I think it's adorable." Namine giggled. "Eye-catching and unique."

"See, Riku?"

"Just because it catches people's eyes doesn't mean it's a good thing," Riku argued, but softened, "but I grew to accept it."

"So, Kairi... what do you like doing for fun?" Sora asked her, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Going on adventures, traveling, singing, video games, cooking..." Kairi started counting things on her fingers.

"Cooking? You can barely make toast!" Namine teased. Kairi glared at her.

"I love cooking!" Sora said, "But... I'm not great at it either. I'm the best at video games, though!"

"No, I'M the best!" Kairi argued.

"Guess we'll have to see, sometime!" Sora accepted the challenge.

"Yeah, Sora's cooking consists of some _real_ horror stories." Riku said.

"You two live together, I assume?" Kairi asked.

"Roommates, best friends and business partners. I get sick of him sometimes." Riku said.

"Hey!" Sora pouted once more, but it was followed by laughter. Their food arrived and only added to the amazement. Namine ordered fresh scallops with a brown sauce and steamed broccoli. It all looked good and Namine couldn't wait to dig in. She and Riku set their napkins in their laps at the same time.

"Nice manners." Riku said, noting the similarities between himself and the blonde. Kairi and Sora copied them and started eating. After everyone was done, it was nearly time to go to the party. Namine and Kairi thanked them once again for paying and Sora gave Kairi her money back. She gave him a puzzled expression and tried to set some money in the center of the table, but Sora stopped her.

"We don't tip here on the islands. It's actually considered rude." Sora admitted, making Namine and Kairi feel bad. "But it's okay, you didn't know! Just be lucky that we were honest enough to tell you."

"You guys are lifesavers. Thank you so much!" Namine said happily.

o-o-o

The group arrived at the party ten minutes before it was supposed to start. One of Riku's pet peeves was being late, so he made sure to be there before the birthday girl arrived. He parked at the next house, which was also a friend of theirs. A guy with defined blonde spikes met them at the door and began scolding Sora and Riku, but stopped when he saw the girls.

"Oh... sorry. I'm Roxas." he outstretched his hand. Kairi shook it and introduced herself and her sister. They were let inside. "My girlfriend will be home from work soon. Just find a place to hide in a few minutes." There were about twenty people crowded in the one-story home, yet barely any cars outside. _'I wonder where everyone parked...'_ Namine pondered. "I just finished boiling some potatoes." Roxas informed them as they stepped into the kitchen. A tall woman with dark brown hair stood next to a muscular man with similar blonde spikes.

"Oh, Sora! Riku! Who are these lovely ladies?" the woman asks, leaning over to take a better look.

"Hey, Tifa! This is Kairi and Namine." Sora introduced happily. "They took our tour earlier!"

"Tsk tsk..." Tifa shook her head and smiled. "Always picking up girls, huh?"

"We never do..." Sora admitted, blushing.

"Maybe _you_ don't." Riku joked, but Namine started feeling uncomfortable again. "I'm kidding. They seem pretty cool."

"Damn right, we are!" Kairi exclaimed, making Sora chuckle.

"Oh, Sora... you're still adorable as ever!" Tifa pinched his cheek. Kairi felt a sense of over-familiarity between the two, but she didn't have any right to intrude. She was just here to enjoy herself. She went over to Roxas, who was now pouring the potatoes back into the pan and drenching them in butter and salt.

"My girlfriend loves potatoes with lots of butter." Roxas told her. "But don't worry, this is like the only unhealthy thing she will eat. She's a health nut otherwise."

"My sister is like that too, but I've seen her pig out on chocolate several times. It's sweet how much you care about her." Kairi mentioned as she handed him the salt.

"We have salad, chicken and pizza coming later." Roxas was interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. He opened it and read the message. "Everyone, she's almost here! Go hide, quickly!" he called out, making sure the oven was off and then hurrying into the living room to greet her. Kairi wasn't sure how all these people were going to do this, but it wasn't like they had to do it for long. She and Namine followed Sora and Riku over behind the kitchen table.

"This really isn't the best house for a surprise party." Sora whispered, a bit uncomfortable about the close proximity. Kairi was snugged in between Namine and Sora with Riku on the other side of him.

Roxas turned off the lights and made sure everyone was fairly hidden. He heard her car door slam. Roxas went outside and greeted her, landing a kiss right on her cheek. "Happy birthday, Xion!"

"Whatever. Ugh, work sucked. I just want to take a bath and go to sleep..." she trotted past him. Roxas let out an uneasy laugh before stopping her at the door and pulling her into a tight embrace. The raven-haired girl was perplexed. "You're acting strange."

"I'm sorry that you had a bad day. I just want to make you feel better."

"What would make me feel better is letting me go inside to take a bath."

"Can I join you?" Roxas smirked. Xion rolled her eyes and put her hand on the door handle. Roxas stole one last kiss before moving out of the way. As soon as Xion opened the door, everyone jumped up and said, "SURPRISE!" Her mouth dropped open in awe as they started singing happy birthday to her. Sora, Kairi, Riku and Namine came into the room. Everyone but Namine sang, but she just clapped along awkwardly. Roxas came in behind Xion and turned on the lights again.

"Oh my gosh, Roxas! You guys... this..." Xion could barely contain her excitement. "Thank you everyone!" A few people surrounded her and some music started playing. Namine tried staying out of the way while people went back and forth. Kairi was being social as usual, blending into the crowd just as well as Sora and Riku did.

"Would you like something to drink? There is soda and water in the kitchen." Riku asked her over the loud music. Namine didn't trust anyone pouring drinks for her without her supervision—even Kairi—so she accepted. She followed him into the kitchen. "What would you like?"

"Just some water, please." Namine said. Riku poured her a cup and handed it to her, then poured some Pepsi for himself.

"Want to go out on the back deck? Honestly, I'm not really into the party scene."

"Uhh, sure."

Riku slid the back door open and closed it again. It was a bit quieter, just the way they liked it. Namine rested one arm on the railing and leaned against it as she sipped on her drink. She saw Kairi through the glass in a huge group, laughing and talking with Sora and everyone else. Riku watched them as well.

"I think Sora finally found someone worth his time."

"What?" Namine gave him a strange look.

"Don't you see it? They're so much alike."

"It's uncanny."

"It's funny that you use words like _uncanny_." Riku noted.

"Hah... well, I just hope that if Kairi does pursue someone, she takes it slow for once."

"That's ideal, isn't it?" Riku sipped on his soda and stared out into the backyard. "But sometimes, your heart leads you elsewhere without your control. I'm kind of envious of Sora. He wears his heart on his sleeve."

"Kairi does too." Namine said. It was weird that she and Riku were bonding over her sister and his best friend, but at least they weren't standing in an awkward silence. Namine felt comfortable around him, even though she only met him hours before. It didn't mean that she trusted him yet, but she at least enjoyed being around him. "Anyway, I'd like to go back to that small island sometime before I leave."

"How long are you two here for?"

"Two and a half weeks. A new semester starts at the end of August."

"Well, Sora and I were going to go fishing there tomorrow, actually. You two can tag along if you want."

"Oh, um... sure." Namine said. "What time?"

"Around two."

She pulled out her phone and put a reminder.

"You seem like a very organized person." Riku said.

"Thanks?" Namine smiled at him questionably but she was looking forward to the vacation ahead.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.

o-o-o  
>o-o-o<p>

**A/N:** So what do you think? Next chapter will have more of Sora and Kairi! Please **review** and thank you to all of those who reviewed already! You guys are simply amazing and you keep me writing! (Sorry if I spam people's inboxes... Lol!)

I also want to go to the Maldives someday. Looks like a beautiful place!


	3. Chapter 3

O-o-o

**Chapter Three.**

O-o-o

Kairi wished that there was some sort of alcoholic beverage at this party. She was starting to feel a bit under the weather and not just because she thought her sister was way more interesting to them than she was. In order to block out such irrational thoughts, she needed to distract herself. She and Sora were conversing with a group of people in the dining room, including Xion and Roxas. Xion was going on about something she didn't care for, simply because she would probably never see her or any of these people after this vacation.

That was why she didn't care much about the risks she took here. Even though she had Sora's number, she really didn't expect to see him again. Pulling Sora aside, she whispered into his ear, "want to go somewhere a little more private?" He looked at her strangely, but she took his hand and tugged on it a little, gesturing her head to the side. They walked out the front door; Kairi's heart beating fast as she tried to forget the pain. A few people were scattered across the lawn in groups. Kairi looked around for a more secluded spot. She found one on the side of the house. A few people saw them.

"Kairi, why are we-" Sora was cut off when Kairi pushed him against the brick wall and smashed her lips into his. Her hand cupped around his neck as she forced herself upon him. Chills shot down Sora's spine as he tried to figure out what to do—although he kind of knew what it meant in movies to go off alone with someone during a party, he didn't really think that sort of thing would happen to him like it was right now. Honestly, he didn't like it. He placed his hands on her shoulders and in the heat of the moment, pushed her off of him; his mouth gaped open. Without a word, he tucked his hands in his pockets and tried walking away, but stopped when he heard sniffling sounds. Kairi's gaze was locked on the ground and she had tears in her eyes. He suddenly felt bad and came back over to her. "Hey... what's the matter?"

"You hate me, don't you?"

"What...? No... it was just... sudden... that's all..." Sora had a lot more to say, but he couldn't help but feel like he was a jerk somehow.

"You think I'm just a slut... okay... I'll leave you alone..." Kairi raced past him.

"I... do not!" Sora hurried after her, but she was already nearing the front door. The people in the lawn stared with confusion. Sora went over and sat on the front porch, running his hands through his hair in frustration. A few moments later, Riku came outside and gave him a questionable look, but Sora just shook his head.

Meanwhile, Kairi was begging Namine to leave.

"Please, Namine? Can we just go?"

"What happened?!" Namine asked worriedly. Kairi's crying didn't help at all. "Did Sora do or say something?"

"Yes and no! I want to get out of here!"

Riku returned to the back porch. Kairi took one look at him and then leaned over the railing, trying to wipe her tears away. "I can take you home." He offered. "Sora doesn't have to come."

Upon hearing that, Kairi jumped at the opportunity. "Okay." She went down the steps and around to the front yard. Riku looked to Namine for answers, but she didn't have any. As they were walking to his car, Riku said, "All Sora told me was that she was coming on too strong and it became too much for him, but he feels bad about it." Namine's lips curved; she had a feeling something like this would happen. Letting out a deep sigh, she decided to give Riku a briefing as to why Kairi was acting that way.

"She just got out of a serious relationship. She's heartbroken because her ex cheated on her."

"Oh... damn..." Riku was slightly surprised, but it was reasonable. He was also glad that it was Sora whom she dosed her affections on. They reached the front yard. Kairi was leaning against the car and texting on her phone. Sora was heading over to her. Kairi looked up and then tried opening the car door, but obviously it was locked.

"Kairi, I'm sorry." Sora said sincerely. Kairi tried hiding her face from him; her makeup was running down her face and she looked like a mess.

"Please leave me alone..." she asked as she tried not to cry harder. She knew what Sora thought of her and she just wanted to get away from him.

"I just want you to know that I don't hate you." At that moment, Riku and Namine appeared next to them.

"I'm going to take them back to the hotel." he told Sora. Riku unlocked the doors and Kairi quickly got into the passenger's seat, slamming the door behind her. She started trying to fix her makeup.

"She's not in the best place right now." Namine bowed to Sora and got into the back seat. Before any of them could refuse, Sora went around and opened Kairi's door. He leaned in and kissed her, throwing everyone off. Kairi was silent when he pulled away. Sora closed the door slowly and then got into the back seat with Namine. He stared out the window and didn't answer any questions. Riku got into the car and drove off.

"Sora, send Roxas a text telling him we had to leave. I don't want to seem rude."

"Fine." Sora pulled out his phone, but his eyes were fixed on the seat in front of him. Riku glanced at Kairi a few times; she was just fiddling with her fingers. Instead of sending Roxas a message, he clicked Kairi's name.

_"I am not mad at you. I just like taking things slow."_ he sent the message and watched her. Namine caught on to what they were doing as soon as Kairi's phone went off. Riku turned on the radio so there wasn't a complete silence, but tension filled the air. Kairi wanted to yell at Sora, but she knew that wouldn't be the right thing to do. She just felt terrible for even dragging him into it all.

_"Okay, but why the hell did you kiss me just now?" She messaged back._

_"...I don't know. It felt right at the moment..."_

_"That doesn't make any sense..."_

_"Anyway, whatever you're going through, I'm here to talk."_

_"If I told you, you would think the worst of me."_

_"No I wouldn't."_

Namine and Riku watched as they texted each other back and forth. If that was what they needed to do, then they let them. They pretended not to pay attention after a while.

_"I feel like I have to distract myself. I can't get over this pain I feel inside. I'm sorry, but I was using you."_ Kairi wrote, her sobs surfacing again as her fist clenched the phone in her hand. She glanced into the side mirror; Sora was reading her message.  
><em><br>"Why?"_

_"My... ex-boyfriend cheated on me. I just want to forget him."_

Sora bit his lip slightly as he tried to come up with something to say to that. He didn't like it, but at the same time he was just trying to understand and see things from this girl's point of view. He barely knew anything about her, yet he felt like he should help her. Instead of responding, he put his phone away and leaned forward so that Riku could hear him over the music, "Riku, let's go over to the island tonight instead." He looked to Namine. "Are you alright with that?"

Namine figured he was trying to make Kairi feel better somehow, so she put aside her need for sleep and nodded.

"What about you, Kairi? Want to go over to the island with us?" Riku asked her. She merely shrugged. Riku stopped at a red light and turned the music down.

"Kairi?" Sora questioned.

"...okay."

o-o-o

When they reached the shore, Sora helped Kairi out of the boat. She seemed to be doing a little better, but the sorrow was still apparent in her face. Riku and Namine got out of the boat and Riku tied it to the dock. When he was done, Sora and Kairi were already walking down the shore, leaving him alone with Namine.

Sora was still holding onto Kairi's hand. "I want to show you something." He told her as they came up to a small waterfall. Over to the side were a bunch of wooden huts, but Sora led her back to a few shrubs. Behind them was a hole in the wall. Kairi gave him a confused look, but he insisted and went inside, pulling her along with him. It was pretty dark, so Sora got out his phone and used it as a light source. They went around a few corners until finally they came into an open cave area with the moonlight coming from a hole in the ceiling. Sora put his pocket back into his pocket and still holding onto Kairi's hand, turned to watch her face light up in awe. There were countless drawings all over the walls, but what stuck out to her the most was the door.

"This is the secret place you were talking about, right?"

"Yeah... only Riku and I know about it."

"Really? I find that hard to believe." Kairi started walking around and looking at each drawing. There was one of a castle. Sora trotted behind her, explaining each drawing.

"You could say that we had pretty wild imaginations."

"Obviously..." Kairi chuckled. She came across what looked like a side view of Sora on drawn on the wall. A shooting star was underneath him, going towards nothing.

"Oh... this..." Sora blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Remember me saying that I want to share a Paopu with someone? Well... one night I just drew this... it's nothing important."

"It's cute."

"Thanks..."

"So you don't know anything about what lies beyond this door?" Kairi placed her hand on the wood.

"Nobody does. It's so bizarre."

"I'll say." Kairi walked around some more, laughing at the childish drawings before her. "Sounds like this place holds a lot of great memories for you and Riku."

"It does. Well, want to go sit by the shore?"

"Alright. Thanks for sharing this with me." Kairi took his hand and they left the cave. She felt like he was trusting her with this secret cave and honestly, that felt nice to her. As they were walking towards the ocean, Sora started another conversation.

"Do you mind telling me exactly what happened?" he asked carefully. Her grip tightened.

"...you probably don't want to hear about it. You're just being nice." Kairi answered quietly.

"I told you, I'm here for you." Sora stated, hoping it would convince her. "If I can help you somehow, let me know."

"You would help me forget about him?" Kairi looked up at him. Sora wasn't sure what she meant by that.

"Well, I don't think I can help you forget, but I can definitely give you some good memories. Besides, who knows when we will see each other again?" he cracked a smile, causing her to do the same. She let go of his hand and sat down, adjusting her short dress. It was pretty chilly. Sora didn't have a jacket to give her, either. He sat down next to her. "I know that I said I like taking things slow... and I mean that, but since I have no other choice right now, please don't take this as me coming onto you..." Sora pulled her closer to him and started rubbing her arms up and down in an effort to warm her up. Kairi thought the gesture was sweet and leaned on his shoulder. He may not have been flirting with her, (in his opinion), but Kairi was feeling pretty flustered.

"Again, why did you kiss me back?"

Sora sighed. He should have known that she wasn't going to let that go.

"I... was using you too."

Kairi had no right to be offended. She looked up at him and waited for an explanation. Sora leaned his head on hers and they stared out into the ocean; his arms covering hers the best he could. "Well... I've just been alone for a long time. It sounds cliché, but I feel like something is missing... and I could only assume... that thing is... love."

"Love isn't worth it." Kairi responded bitterly.

"I hope you don't believe that simply because of one bad experience." Sora smiled a little.

"All relationships end eventually."

"I think that if a couple truly loves each other and truly wants to work things out, they can."

"That's very sweet, but it doesn't always happen that way." Kairi said.

"I know, but that just means that they weren't meant to be."

"You are full of cliche's and contradictions, aren't you?"

"You got me," Sora grinned. Kairi chuckled; she was starting to feel a little better now.

"I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable earlier." Kairi apologized.

"You had your reasons..." Sora trailed off, blushing.

"So... what are you looking for, then? In a girl, I mean..."

"Oh... you know... someone I can bring home to my parents. Someone that respects herself, is independent but yet still needs me sometimes. I like feeling needed. Looks don't matter that much to me-"

"Yes they do. They matter to everyone. When someone says that, they're just being modest." Kairi interrupted. Sora sighed in defeat.

"Alright, to a certain extent, they do matter. But honestly, I'm more focused on the person behind the makeup. She has to be smart... slightly spontaneous... funny... you know, all of those things. But she also has to be able to admit when she's wrong, because I will do the same."

"You've definitely put a lot of thought into this."

"I've had a lot of time to think." His arms tightened a little around her. He strangely felt a little more comfortable around her now and he wasn't sure why. "So... what do you look for? If you don't want to talk about it though, we don't have to."

"Well..." Kairi tried to think of all the things her ex-boyfriend was, and then pictured the opposite. "Someone who cares about me and pays attention to me. Someone that will put me before almost everything, excluding family. He has to be funny and smart and whatever, but I also have to be attracted to him." Kairi and Sora made eye contact, but quickly looked away. "I like a man who is confident, but also wants to show me off. One that will make me feel like I'm the only person that he has ever loved..."

"Sounds like you've thought about this quite a bit as well." Sora said, but Kairi was starting to feel sad again.

"Why did he do that to me...?" she sniffled. "What did I do wrong?"

"I'm sure that you did nothing wrong... he was probably just... I don't know. He probably just didn't know how to handle such an amazing girl."

"How do you know if I'm amazing or not?" Kairi's voice was rising.

"I... well... okay. You're right. I don't know, but I wouldn't be here with you right now if I didn't have some sort of attraction to you, right?" Sora's face reddened as he looked away. _'So much for going slow... keep it together, Sora!'_

"So you like me?" Kairi asked rather bluntly. Sora cleared his throat.

"I'm... interested. You seem interesting." Sora said nervously. _'Wow, good job. Way to get your point across.'_ This girl was disarming every wall he had and it was only the first day. He was afraid to think of what he would be like around her after a week...

"Well, thank you." Kairi snuggled up against him once more. "...So do you."

"Thanks."

They both laughed at the same time, paving way for a more comfortable silence. Kairi didn't know what it was, but in that moment, she felt like she had known him for quite a while. Any other guy would have thought terrible things about her, but Sora was obviously different. However, that didn't stop her from worrying about where it would lead to—she definitely wasn't ready for another relationship. As much as she wanted to live in the moment and forget all of her problems, she couldn't help but think that maybe Sora was more than just her tour guide and a new friend.

Namine and Riku came up behind them. Namine had a few seashells in her hands. "Is everything okay?" she asked with a smile, noticing their comfort with each other. She and Riku had been observing them from afar while engaged in their own conversations. They sat down next to Sora and Kairi.

"I think we're alright now." Sora answered, not removing his arms.

"So... are you two still coming here tomorrow?" Namine asked.

"Hmm, I don't know. What do you want to do, Sora?" Riku looked over at him. Sora and Kairi exchanged glances.

"I was thinking... maybe we can all just stay here tonight..." Sora said shyly.

"Wow, Sora. You've gotten pretty bold lately." Riku said, remembering what happened earlier. Noting Namine's uneasy expression, he continued, "But they spent money on the hotel. I can't let them waste it."

"Yeah, you're right." Sora sighed. "Kairi, are you ready to go?"

No, she wasn't.

"Sora and I can stay here." Kairi said. She was just starting to temporarily forget and now she had to leave?

"No... you _can't_." Namine said sternly. "Riku, we're ready to go. Thanks for bringing us out here again, guys."

"Don't worry, Kairi. We can hang out tomorrow." Sora assured her, but she wasn't very persuaded. They got to their feet and brushed the sand off of themselves, then followed Riku and Namine down the shore.

"How do I know that you won't ditch me after this...?" Kairi asked, pain resonating in her voice. Sora stopped for a moment. Namine and Riku turned and waited.

"Kairi, I won't. You're just going to have to trust me, okay?"

"I... don't know how to trust someone..."

"Sora is great at keeping promises." Riku called out.

"Yeah, I'll call you first thing in the morning, okay?" Sora placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You have my word." Kairi looked at him and nodded. Sora embraced her into a tight hug; their hearts racing as they felt the warmth. Neither of them knew why. Neither of them wanted to think about it. They just wanted to be in that moment—each casting away their own personal problems. When Sora and Kairi pulled away from each other, they were met with a strange feeling of attachment—as if they should not be letting go right now.

But due to the fact that this was only the first day, they both dismissed the silly notion and followed Namine and Riku onto the boat.

O-o-o

After dropping the girls off at their hotel, Riku and Sora drove off in silence. Sora still felt a bit weird; he couldn't figure out what was going on with him. _'Why didn't I want her to leave? I just met her!'_

"I know what you're thinking about." Riku said. Sora blushed. Of course Riku knew. Riku knew everything.

"So... what should I do?"

"Have some common sense."

"What?"

"Sora, I know you. You say you like taking it slow, yet you fall hard way too fast. You did the same thing with Selphie in high school. I don't know what you're planning on doing, but I really don't think it's a good idea to get attached to someone that is just going to go home after two weeks."

"Yeah, you're right... but..."

"But nothing. They're nice girls and can be great friends, but let's be honest... they don't live here. We can't get our hopes up just because we find them attractive."

"So you're interested in Namine?" Sora asked. Riku didn't answer at first.

"She's a nice girl."

"Oh, _come on_, Riku!"

"What?"

"You've had your eye on her since she stepped onto that tour!"

"So? That doesn't mean I can't have some fun."

"Some fun? Hey, what are you getting at?" Sora raised his eyebrow. "I _know_ you're not a player, so tell me, what are you planning to do with her?"

"Like I said, she can be a good friend!" Riku defended, but his red hot cheeks said otherwise. They pulled into their apartment complex and parked. Sora dropped it and followed him into their apartment. After getting ready for bed, he pulled out his phone and texted Kairi.

_"Goodnight. :)"_

Sora fell back onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. A smile crept its way across his lips as he reminisced about the wonderful day he felt he had, despite the arguments. There was something about Kairi, and he wasn't about to just shrug it off.

O-o-o

Namine questioned Kairi all the way up the stairs and into the hotel room, but Kairi was too flustered to respond.

"Kairi, answer me!" Namine demanded, but was met with the bathroom door to her face. "Seriously? Ugh..."

Namine threw on her pajamas and waited for Kairi to get out of the bathroom. She finally came out ten minutes later; all her makeup was off and she just had to change. Namine went to the bathroom and washed her face and brushed her teeth, then came back out tying her hair into a bun.

"Sora said goodnight." Kairi told her happily.

"To both of us or just you?" Namine climbed into her bed. She was surprised to see a text from Riku on her phone.

_"I had a great time with you two today. I'll let you know what we plan on doing tomorrow. Have a nice night!"_

"Aww," Namine said aloud and wrote back to him.

"Riku?" Kairi asked, already knowing the answer. Namine set her phone on the nightstand and pulled her covers over her.

"You were pretty close to Sora today. What did he say to you?"

"He just comforted me. That's all. It's nothing to worry about."

"Uh huh." Namine eyed her sister. "Please don't rush into things..."

"What if I can't help it?" Kairi giggled and turned over. She went through the pictures she took on the tour of Sora. He looked so natural—as if entertaining was something he was born to do. She liked the way she felt around him, even if it scared her a little bit. Kairi set her phone next to her and closed her eyes. She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

O-o-o  
>o-o-o<p>

**A/N:** This is all for this chapter. Love works in strange ways. There isn't really one way for people to fall for each other. Each story is different. Agree? Please let me know what you thought of it, as well as the cover photo that I drew and colored myself! Haha.

Have a nice day!


End file.
